Real Nappy Week 20-26th June

Real Nappy Week 2005 is co-ordinated by Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) working with the Real Nappy Campaign. Funded by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) the Week aims to engage parents with a schedule of national, regional and local activities and enable them to make an informed choice of nappies.

Now in its ninth year, Real Nappy Week is supported by over 380 UK local authorities with nearly 400 activities already planned across 65 counties in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Elizabeth Hartigan of WEN says, "Real Nappy Week is going from strength to strength. In only nine years it has developed into an internationally recognised brand, with activities taking place as far apart as Mexico and New Zealand this year. Meanwhile, the Government aims to convert an additional 155,000 households to real nappy use by April 2006 through WRAP's Real Nappy Programme, so Real Nappy Week plays a vital role in raising awareness to reduce waste." To find out what is happening in your area visit www.wen.org.uk/rnw

Local authorities promote real nappy use to reduce the amount of waste going to scarce landfill space. Nearly three billion nappies a year - eight million a day - are thrown away in the UK. As well as saving waste, parents could save around £500 on the cost of nappies for one baby, and more if they use them again on another baby. To find out more, visit www.wen.org.uk/nappies/cost_comparison.htm. Colourful or natural, plain or patterned, organic cotton, fleece or wool - there is such a range of real nappies that you are bound to find something to suit your taste, budget and lifestyle. And Real Nappy Week offers the perfect opportunity to find out more.

The Real Nappy Helpline 0845 850 0606 gives callers details of their local cloth nappy contacts whether they want to buy them to wash at home or use a laundry service. For more information on real nappies visit www.realnappycampaign.com.